


Merry Christmas To All

by afteriwake



Series: All's Fair [33]
Category: CSI: NY
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Cooking, Dessert & Sweets, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/M, First Party, Friendship, Happy, Housewarming Party, Stella Takes Over The Kitchen, Toasting, new home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-03 00:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15807246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Flack and Angell have their first party in their new home.





	Merry Christmas To All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt " _party_."

The year before the Flack family had celebrated Christmas by themselves. With a two-month-old baby, it had been for the best. This year, though, with the family in their own home, Angell decided that they’d combine their housewarming party and Christmas and have everyone over for dinner. Their families had their own things going on, and they understood that now was the time for Flack and Angell to set up their own traditions. There would be visits earlier in the day, of course, but the Flacks would be home by noon to meet Stella and Danny, who were going to help prepare dinner for everyone.

Turns out, however, that _everyone_ showed up at noon. And everyone wanted to help make dinner.

“You know what they say about too many cooks in the kitchen,” Stella said, shooing everyone but her, Angell and Danny out of the kitchen. “We will start cooking, and then everyone else can come in and help later.”

“Yes ma’am,” Flack said with a grin, turning to the others. “What all should we do, though? I’m thinking you don’t want to do the gift exchange until you’re all done with the cooking.”

“You’re right. It’s up to you, but stay out of my…err, the kitchen,” Stella said.

Danny was smirking at Stella when she came back into the kitchen “ _Your_ kitchen?”

“Well, when Mac comes over and tries to help that’s what I tell him,” she said with a grin and a slight shrug.

“If you can cook well feel free to take over my kitchen any time,” Angell said with a laugh. “So, what should we start cooking first?”

“The ham is going to take a couple of hours, but I think we want to get the pies done first. Those can be colder than the ham,” Danny said. “Don’t know about you, but I like my Christmas ham hot.”

Angell nodded. “So, we’re making pumpkin pie, apple pie—“

“And that should be warm,” Stella said, “so we’ll cook that while we’re eating.”

“Green bean casserole and what else?” Angell finished.

“Hawkes said he’d make greens the way his uncle showed him, but that’s on the stovetop, so we can have him do that in a bit. And while I’m not sharing any Greek delicacies today, I was thinking about making a chutney for some of us to eat with the ham.” She pointed to the sack of groceries she’d put on the counter. “I brought all the ingredients.”

“And I made up some snacks ahead of time so no one starves while they’re waiting for dinner,” Angell said. “Deviled eggs, stuff like that.”

Danny’s eyes lit up. “Deviled eggs? Can I have a couple?”

“ _Two_ ,” Angell said, going to the fridge and pulling out a platter. Danny grinned appreciatively and grabbed two of them, popping one into his mouth. “Well?”

“Perfect,” he said as soon as he was done swallowing.

“What are you making, anyway?” Angell asked as he popped in the second egg.

“Cannolis,” he said when he was done swallowing. “I figured I’d make those for dessert, but since I’m going to fry the shells I don’t need to make them until an hour before we’re going to eat. Ma sent me off today with pistachio filling, which I’m going to use instead of regular filling.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Stella said. “Screw pie, I’m going to have two or three of those.”

“Share, Stell. _Share_ ,” Danny said with a grin.

“Besides, I’m making cheesecake,” Angell said. “And my cheesecake is divine. Just ask Don.”

Danny moved closer to the living room. “Hey, Flack. Is Jess’s cheesecake divine?” he called out.

“Yeah,” he called back. “Did she tell you which kind she’s making?”

“What kind are you making?” Danny asked her.

“Turtle. It’s got caramel, chocolate and pecans.”

“Turtle,” Danny called back.

“That’s her second best,” Flack said, his voice getting closer. Then he stuck his head into the kitchen. “I thought you were making strawberry.”

“I decided to make a more special one,” she said.

Flack pouted slightly. “I kinda wanted strawberry.”

She looked at her husband and laughed, going over and kissing his cheek. “I can make strawberry, too. I have all the ingredients.”

His grin was huge. “Do I have to share it?”

She laughed even harder. “No, Don, I’ll make it just for you. Consider it a Christmas present.”

“I have the best wife in the world,” he said to Stella and Danny, who were both grinning as Flack turned around and left.

“You should have made him share,” Stella said. “I have to share Danny’s cannolis.”

“It’s his Christmas present. If you ask _really_ nicely, he may give you a sliver. Just enough to give you a taste.”

“Or you could just make one for those of us at the labs,” Danny said.

“Yeah, I could do that, too.” She looked at the others. “We should probably start cooking now, right?”

“Right,” Stella said. “Let’s get started.”

****

\--

A few hours later, dinner was spread out on the table. Angell was thankful she’d insisted on a long table for the dining room now, she thought with satisfaction as she watched everyone settled in, ready to eat.

Mac stood up with his glass in hand. His contribution to the meal had been a bottle of wine and a bottle of sparkling apple cider for those not drinking. He’d also brought apple juice for Victoria, and a brand new cup for her to drink it in. In fact, the gift exchange had gone very well, and everyone was happy with the gift they got from their Secret Santa. Everyone turned to make and was quiet. “First off, thanks to Don and Jess for opening up their home to us today. It’s a lovely home, and we should know because we all helped paint it.”

Everyone laughed a little at that, and Mac grinned, raising his glass. “It’s nice to spend the holidays with people you care about, and over the years we’ve become a family of our own, in a way. So here’s to family, those we’re born into and those we make ourselves.”

“To family!” everyone chorused.

Mac nodded to Flack, who had the utensils for cutting the ham. “Ready?”

“Mac, I was kinda thinking you could do it,” Flack said, handing him the utensils.

Mac smiled slowly and took them, moving the ham a little closer to him. “I’m honored.”

“I’m hungry,” Danny said with a grin.

“Danny,” Lindsay said, elbowing him slightly.

“What? I was just going to ask for the first slice,” he said.

The entire table burst into laughter and as Mac cut the ham and the food was passed around, it seemed to Angell that this was what the holidays should always be like.

****

\--

Everyone left at seven, on their way home or to the labs for a late shift. Flack and Angell put away the food that hadn’t been taken home by others and washed the dishes, working in a contented silence. When they were done, they both collapsed on the couch, with Flack putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. “Our first party in our new home was a success,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, it was,” she said with a smile, shutting her eyes. “We should do this again next year.”

“Or next year we can give Danny and Lindsay a chance to do it at their place, considering they’ll be married too.”

“Maybe we can give them Thanksgiving and we get Christmas,” she mused. “Or we can trade off every year.”

Flack laughed and kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, we could probably do that.”

She stayed nestled up against him for a few moments before she pulled away. “Merry Christmas, Don.”

“Merry Christmas to you too, Jess,” he said.

She leaned in and kissed him for a few moments before pulling away and burrowing against him again. This had been a very merry Christmas indeed, she thought to herself as she drifted off into a contented sleep.


End file.
